The Threads That Bind Us

Chapter 20

The Gardner household was still aglow from the morning festivities, wrapping paper littering the floor and the scent of pine mixing with the lingering sweetness of their Christmas breakfast. Fidelity carefully tucked her new scarf into her coat as the family prepared to head out for the afternoon. It was tradition to spend the rest of Christmas Day with the Clarke side of the family, and Fidelity was already excited to see her cousins.

Fidelity was extra excited to see her cousin Bella who was the same age as her. Bella lived in London until she was around 10 years old when they moved to America. Her father was from America and insisted that her and her brother attend Ilvermorny.

"Everyone ready?" her dad, Hank, called from the hallway, adjusting his own scarf. "The sooner we leave, the sooner we can enjoy your Nana's famous pie."

Carter grinned, sliding his gloves on. "I'm more excited for the trivia."

Fidelity rolled her eyes. "You're always about the trivia."

"Hey, it's tradition!"

Their mum, Vanessa, appeared with a tray of leftover cookies. "I'm bringing these with us in case anyone's still hungry later." She winked, knowing full well that the Clarke household would already be bursting with treats.

The family bundled up, Hank grabbing the small bag of gifts they were bringing, and stepped outside into the cold. With a quick glance at each other, they Apparated, disappearing from their front yard and reappearing with a pop in front of the Clarke house.

Snow covered the ground in a thick, soft blanket, and the house glowed warmly against the winter sky. Laughter floated out from the open windows, and Fidelity spotted the familiar silhouettes of her grandparents through the frosted glass. The Gardners hurried inside, shaking snow from their coats as the warmth enveloped them.

Nana was the first to greet them, sweeping them into hugs with her arms wide open. "There's my darling grandkids!" she exclaimed, drawing each one of them into a warm embrace. Papa followed closely behind, grinning as he tousled Carter's hair like he was still a little boy.

Fidelity made her way around the room, greeting her aunts and uncles.

"Look who finally showed up!" Max, one of her older cousins, called out with a playful grin from across the room. "We were beginning to think you'd forgotten about us."

Fidelity shot back with a smirk, "You know Mum wouldn't miss Christmas here for the world."

Max snorted. "She'd drag you all by your collars if she had to."

The room was buzzing with activity. Some of Fidelity's other older cousins were gathered near the tree, showing off their new gifts. Bella stood near the fireplace chatting with their cousin Jonah while her younger brother, Toby, bounced with excitement.

"Bella!" Fidelity called out as she made her way through the crowded room.

Bella turned and beamed. "Fidi!" The two cousins embraced tightly, catching up in a whirl of conversation.

"How was your trip here?" Fidelity asked.

Bella laughed. "Oh, fine. But the minute we arrived, Nana whisked us away into the kitchen for a taste of pie. It was worth it."

"I bet," Fidelity grinned. "Toby looks like he's bouncing off the walls already."

Bella glanced over at her younger brother, who was now engaged in an animated conversation with Felix, their youngest cousin. "He's been talking about this Christmas for months. Something about wanting to impress Papa with his knowledge of broomstick models. It's kind of adorable, honestly."

As the cousins continued to mingle, Nana's voice cut through the chatter. "Alright, everyone, let's gather around! Presents, pie, and-of course-the Clarke family Christmas trivia are waiting."

Fidelity exchanged a look with Carter, and they both smiled. The Clarke Christmas trivia was the pinnacle of the day-competitive, chaotic, and ridiculously fun.

Once everyone had gathered at the long dining table, Nana's famous pie was served, followed by the exchanging of small gifts among the families. As they settled in with hot cocoa, Papa took charge.

"Alright, it's trivia time," he said with a mischievous grin, raising his mug like a gavel. "First question: What year did Nana and I first meet?"

"1938!" called out Carter confidently.

"No way," interrupted Theo. "It was 1937!"

"1939?" Max suggested uncertainly.

Papa chuckled. "Carter's got it-1938. And where did we meet?"

"The wizarding carnival!" shouted Bella from the other end of the table.

"Correct! We were students at Hogwarts at the same time but we didn't know each other." Nana beamed. "And who remembers what I said to your Papa the first time we met?"

Fidelity grinned. "You told him that his robes were wrinkled and that he should have used a proper smoothing charm."

Nana laughed. "Exactly! I thought, 'Well, if this one's going to impress me, he's going to need to start taking better care of his robes.'"

The room erupted into laughter as Papa put his hand to his heart in mock despair. "I was crushed, of course," he teased.

As the trivia continued, everyone grew more competitive, shouting out answers and teasing each other when they got them wrong. 9 year old, Felix, managed to steal a few points by knowing some obscure details about old family holidays. When the trivia finally ended, Papa stood, smiling warmly at his family.

"Now, as much as I love hearing all the answers to these trivia questions," he began, "I think it's time we do something a little different this year."

The room quieted, curious.

"How about a Clarke family memory treasure hunt?" he suggested. "Everyone spread out through the house, and there are a few hidden objects-small magical trinkets from past family Christmases. Each one tells a story. Whoever finds one brings it back, and I'll share the tale behind it."

The cousins exchanged excited glances, and before long, the house was full of bustling activity as everyone fanned out to search for the hidden treasures. Bella, Jonah, and Fidelity teamed up, combing through the sitting room while Max, Theo, and Charolette, headed toward the kitchen.

It wasn't long before Bella uncovered a small enchanted snow globe tucked behind a set of old books. The globe shimmered faintly as it showed a miniature version of Hogwarts, surrounded by gently falling snow.

"Got one!" Bella called out triumphantly.

They returned to the living room, where Papa was waiting by the fire. "Ah, the snow globe," he said with a smile. "That one was from the year we had the biggest snowfall Hogwarts had ever seen. Your Nana and I were still students, and we got stuck at the castle over Christmas break. I used that very snow globe to track the storm."

Each time someone found a trinket, Papa shared another story, spinning tales from both the past and present, full of magic, adventure, and a lot of heart. By the end of the treasure hunt, the room was filled with laughter, memories, and the shared warmth of family.